MARYVILLE, Mo. - The Missouri Southern Lions put an end to the Northwest Missouri State University women's volleyball team's 14-game home winning streak with a five-set triumph in Bearcat Arena.

Missouri Southern won by set scores of 26-28, 28-26, 25-18, 10-25 and 15-6. The Lions improved to 7-2 overall and 1-0 in the MIAA. Northwest fell to 5-4 overall and 0-1 in league play.

The opening two sets could have gone either way and the squads ended up exchanging 28-26 decisions. Northwest won the first set, 28-26. The Bearcats were up 18-14, but the Lions came back with a 6-1 run to take a 20-19 advantage. Southern had two set points at 24-23 and 26-25, but Northwest held them off and was able to score the final three points for the first-set triumph.

The Lions evened the match with their own 28-26 victory in the second. MSSU led 24-21 only to see Northwest level the set at 24-24. MSSU finally closed out the set on its fourth set point.

Southern was able to take a 2-1 advantage by notching a 25-18 win in the third. MSSU hit .240 and had a 77 percent sideout effort in the third. Northwest hit .091 and only sided out at 56 percent.

Head coach Amy Woerth inserted outside hitter Olivia Dir into the lineup in the fourth and it proved effective. Dir put down five kills and hit .714 as the Bearcats breezed to a 25-10 win in the fourth set. Northwest hit .600 in the fourth with 13 kills and only one attack error. Northwest side out at 80 percent in the fourth.

However, the Bearcat momentum was stunted in the fifth. Northwest held a 3-2 lead when Missouri Southern seized control of the set and the match. Southern scored eight straight points to take a 10-3 lead. Northwest closed to within 10-5, but could claw no closer as the Lions pounced on a 15-6 win.

Bearcat junior Abby Brunssen put up a career-high 17 kills to lead the squad. Payton Kirchhoefer earned her 17th career double-double with 12 kills and 23 digs. Ella Caffery notched a double-double with 50 assists and 17 digs. Avery Kemp was credited with 12 kills and hit .231 with a team-best six blocks. 

Northwest will return to action Saturday at 3 p.m. when the Bearcats play host to the Central Missouri Jennies.